Clothes-line apparatus.



No. 694,4l4. I Patented Mar. 4, I902.

I H. PERDREAUX.

CLOTHES LINE APPARATUS.

(Apphelt on filed Kay 18 1901) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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a. 694,414. Patented Mar. 4, I902.

H. PERDREAUXM CLOTHES LINE APPARATUS. (Application filed my 18. 1901.) (llo mum. I "z Sheefs-Sheet 2.

INVENTOB 56 6 2 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 1

HENRY PERDREAUX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLOTHES-LINE APPARATUS.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,414, dated March 4, 1902.

Application filed May 18, 190 1. Serial No. 60,809. (No modelfl T0 to whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LHE'NRY PERDREAUX, a citizenof the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful ImprovementinOlothes-Line Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is intended more especially for apartment-houses in cities and will be described as thus applied. I employ the ordinary provisions for supporting the outer pulley at the level of the window and at a suffb cient distance therefrom outside, with a clothes-line running from the window out across the yard through such pulley and return. The ends of the line are, as usual, tied together after one is rove through an inner pulley strongly held near the window in the manner which is fully set forth herein. I provide a horizontally-turning arm in the opening of the window with provisions for reoeiving the latter pulley. I have devised means for bracing the arm temporarily in its inner position and allowing the operator to work inside of the room in attaching the clothes to the line and running them out and also when the clothes are dry running them in and taking them off. I have devised improved means comprising a single cord and eyes and fastening means for holding such line properly strained and allowing the arm while supporting the pulley and line to be swung around into a plane parallel to the window and just outside thereof, in which position the window maybe shut and opened with the ordinary facility.

Many efiorts have been made to employ a swinging lever which shall carry the inner pulley with the line attached and allow it to be swung into the apartment when the window is opento facilitate the loading of the clothes upon the line and the taking them off again. It is important to hold the swinging lever very reliably when it is in its inner position, because if it should by any means he set at liberty before the line is properly secured to the axis it would not only let the clothes sink down and possibly injure them, but also if the long line is heavily loaded the movement would be made with such force that it would endanger the safety of the operator, who would be included in the arc swept by such lover. I have devised simple and easily-operated means of securing the crane with absolute reliability when thus condi- 'tioned.

ll/Iylinvention overcomes another difiiculty in. this art. It is obviously important that the side of the window to remain while the clothes are drying. I attain this end and avoid injury to the line by abrasion by providing means for easily confining the line by a permanently-attached cord, which gives a soft action.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification. v

Figure 1 is a view of the window and its attachments from the inside, the window being open and the apparatus conditioned for active use. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1 seen from the left. Fig. 3 is a horizontal elevation showing two portions of the upright turning bar on a larger scale and showing the line held by the cord and the parts in position ready for swinging the supporting-arm outside the window. Figs. 5 and 6 are horizontal sections on a larger scale. Fig. 5 shows all the several parts in place in the act of being turned. Fig. 6 shows the crane swung into the position for resting to allow the clothes to be dried with the separable parts detached. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a portion, partly in section. F. Fig. 9 is a view of the inner pulley and its hook K; and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional View of the lever E, showing the construction of the socket-piece E Similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

A is the wall of the building; A, the floor of the apartment; A the window-frame, and B and O are the sashes of the window. The

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the brace latter are understood to be raised and lowered as usual, leaving the ordinary liberal window-opening a available for the movement of the clothes in and out when the sashes are raised.

D D are eyes permanently set in the interior of the window-frame at one side a little exterior to the plane of the outermost sash C. The hook A (shown at the bottom of the window-frame) serves its usual function of re ceiving the inner pulley and holding the clothes-line extending loosely across the yard when the apparatus is not in use.

E designates the horizontallyswinging lever or arm of the crane, to which is rigidly connected an upright E and a diagonal brace E Pintles E and E are rigidly connected to the upright E and set at the proper distance apart to engage with the eyes D D. It is preferable that one belonger than the other to facilitate engagement, allowing that one to be engaged first and the other afterward.

E (see Fig. 2) is an eye rigidly carried on the under side or outer side of the arm E near the end, adapted to receive the hook of the inner pulley when the line is to be used, and E (see Fig. 3) is a corresponding eye, with which is constantly engaged an eye F at one end of the inclined brace F. A stout socketpiece E (see Fig. 5,) having a horizontal hole or socket through it, is welded or otherwise stifily secured on the horizontal arm E near its mid-length.

G (see Fig. 5) isa detachable arm equipped with an elbow G, which is adapted to engage in the hole in the socket E and G G are eyes set in this arm in the position represented. (See Fig. 3.) One of these eyes receives the hook or elbow F when the parts are connected for use.

A (see Figs. 1 and 2) is a hook-formed bracket secured to the wall A in the position shown and adapted to receive the arm G when required. Icmployalocking-pin H, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) arranged to reliably secure the arm against any accidental or mischievous displacement when the parts are subjected to strain.

J is the clothes-line, K the innerpulley, provided with a hook K, and L the outer pulley, supported on an ordinary stout pole M. The latter is shown as nearer than in practice.

Eyes E and E, which may be of moderate size, are fixed on the upright E near the top. To the eye E is attached a flexible cord 1, which performs an important function,as will presently appear.

When the wash is ready to be hung out, the proper sash B is raised and the crane having the arm E, upright E, &c., which may have been previously stored in any convenient part of the building, is brought into position and its pintles E E are engaged with the eyes D D. In this position the arm E lies against a stop A on the opposite edge of the window, and the inner pulley K is detached from the hook A and engaged with the eye E Next the arm G is brought into position and its elbow G engaged in the hole e in the socket E and the brace F is engaged by its hook F with the eye G Now the arm E and its attachments are turned a quarter-revolution, and the arm G, being slightly lifted and lowered, is engaged in the bracket A and secured by the pin H. This change in the position of the parts extends the clothes-line J, making it nearly taut and bringing it nearly, but not quite, in contact with the upright E. In this position the line is overhauled in the obvious man her and the clothes are attached, the operator standing comfortably in the room, instead of being obliged to lean out of the window. When all the clothes are hung or the line is full, the cord I is brought into play and after being extended horizontally under both parts of the line is returned above and rove through the other eye E and hauled with force to draw both parts of the clothesline J nearly or quite into the space between the eyes E E and the cord I is then attached to the belaying-cleat E on the upright E in the position shown.- Now, the pin H being removed, the arm G is lifted out of its engagement with the bracket A and the arm E and its attachments are swung into a plane parallel to the sash and lie against the inner face of the stop A outside of the sash.

The fact that the clothes-line is held by the cord I nearly in the axis of revolution enables this motion to be performed without appreciably slackening or tightening the clothesline, which latter remains extending, as before, from the outer pulley L through the space within the loop of the cord I between the eyes E E" and thence substantially parallel to the crane, to and through the pulley K, and back again, supporting the clothes in the obvious manner. Now, the arm G being detached from the hole e in the socket e and the hooked end of the brace F being detached from the arm G, the window may be closed and all except the arm G may remain, the or-' dinary use of the window being only slightly obstructed by the presence of the slender crane extending across on the outside until the clothes are dry, when the reverse of these several operations will restore the parts to their original condition.

With myinvention the attendant may stand as close to the open window as may be preferred and may operate the clothes-line and attach the clothes thereon or detach them therefrom with assurance that the crane is reliably held.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. I propose usually to make the lover or arm E and the upright E from one continuous rod or tube, bent more or less sharply at the junction; but they may be in separate pieces properly joined. Parts of the invention may be used without others. I can swing the arm E and hold it by other means than the detachable lever G.

In the possible case that the arm G should be lost or become for any reason inoperative the remaining parts may be used successfully. A is an eye set in the wall A in the position represented ready to be used in such emergencies. The use of the apparatus without the part G is the same as before, except that after the windowis opened and the pulley K is engaged the lever E, with its attachments, is drawn inward into the apartment by the direct application of the hand to arm E or to the inclined brace E hen it has been drawn inward to the proper extent, the brace E, which has been pendent,- is lifted into the horizontal position and engaged in the eye A". This will hold the lever E and its attachments with substantially the same effect as before described.- Some mayprefer to work the invent-ion in this manner and to dispense'with the arm G under all conditions.

Some of the peculiaritiesin certain features of the invention may be separately enumerated, as'follows First, by reason of the crane, comprising the arm E, having its upright E anddiagonal brace E provided with pintles and E it is strong inits support and free in its turning and yet can be easily unhung to be taken into the building and stored away when not required, and by reason of the eye E a pulley having an ordinary hook may be readily disengaged to allow such action, and by reason of the separate arm G, having its elbow G, and of the providing the socket E and the eye E on the lever E, and the brace F with provisions for engaging the eye G on the arm, and of a proper bracket for thereception of the arm or lever G, I am able to turn and to hold the crane efficiently without interfering with detachability; second, by reason of the above and of the cord I, the guiding means E and E therefor, and the cleat E I am able to detachably confine the cord to allow swinging without chafing; third, and by reason of the above and of the stop A on the opposite side of the window from the eyes D D and of the hook A in the position shown 011 the inner face of the Wall of the building I am able to reliably arrest the swinging of the crane at each extremity of its motion, and by reason of the locking- 1.- In a clothes-line apparatus, a horizon- I tally-turning crane provided wit-hpintles E and E for pivotally engaging with suitable eyes D D in one side of a window-opening,

and the eye E for engaging a clothes-line.

pulleyyin combination with said eyes D D and said pulley and with the detachable arm G and means for engaging it with the arm E for holding it, and with the oblique detachable'brace F, substantially as herein specified.

2. In a clothes-line apparatus, a horizontally-swinging crane pivotally engaged with one side of a window-opening, and means E for engaging a clothes-line pulley, in combination with the eyes E E on the upright E and the cord Ij and cleat E all arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

3. The clothes -line apparatus described, comprising a clothes-line and an inner and an outer pulley, a horizontally-swinging crane arranged to extend as required from the win dew-opening into the apartment, pintlesE E thereon, eyes D D on one side of the win dew-opening and a stop A on the other side thereof, an eye E on said crane for conven iently engaging the inner pulley K therewith anddisengaging at will, a detachable arm G and a brace F for stiffly connecting such arm with the crane, the bracket A and locking means H for holding the whole reliably during the loading or unloading of the clothesline, and the flexible means I for holding the clothes-line near the axial line of the crane when it is swung, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY .PERDREAUX.

Witnesses:

J. B. CLAUTIOE, M. F. BOYLE. 

